The present invention relates to a closure and neck finish for blow-molded containers and in particular to a snap-on closure with a tamper evident locking feature that can be screwed off the container after initial application and then reapplied by screwing the closure onto the container.
Tamper evident caps for containers, such as blow-molded or injection molded containers are well known, see e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,561,553, 4,625,875, 4,497,765, and 4,534,480. A number of caps are of the snap-on screw-off variety such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,553,727, 5,190,178, 5,213,224, 5,267,661, 5,285,912, 5,480,045, 5,456,376, and 5,307,946 and 5,560,504. Generally, the prior art caps include a spiral thread or threads which match a spiral thread on the neck of the bottle. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,946 the cap and bottle neck include a seven lead-in end annular spiral thread configuration (or fastening means) and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,727 the cap and bottle neck include a ten lead-in end annular spiral thread configuration (or fastening means). The advantage of the multiple lead-in threads is the increased ease of xe2x80x9csnap-onxe2x80x9d placement of the cap onto the threaded neck using standard bottle capping equipment and without an additional tightening step such as a final twist.
As is apparent from the prior art patents, a great deal of effort has gone into design of cap and bottle neck configurations to provide easy on and off use of the cap by the bottler and ultimately by the end user of the bottled product. However, notwithstanding this effort, the bottling industry continues to search for a cap and neck finish which achieves these objectives but which also provides a secure seal.
The present invention solves this problem by optionally providing at least one annular sealing bead depending from the outer surface of the closure valve which are compressed against the inner surface of the container neck to form a seal as the closure is snapped onto the container neck. Optionally, sealing engagement between the closure and the mating portions of the exterior wall of the container neck may be further improved by including one or more annular sealing beads on the interior surface of the closure depending annular skirt.
The present invention also solves the problem of protecting the integrity of frangible elements during installation of threaded tamper-evident closures. A plurality of elevated areas extend upwardly from the tamper-evident band in spaced relation to the bottom edge of the closure body. The purpose of these elevated areas is to support the tamper evident band in resisting vertical movement imparted by insertion of the closure on the bottle neck, thereby protecting the frangible elements during assembly. The frangible elements connecting the tamper-evident band to the lower edge of the closure body may be configured to extend from these elevated areas as well as the non-elevated areas of the tamper-evident band. The purpose of attaching frangible elements to the elevated areas of the tamper-evident band is to assist in preventing axial misalignment of the tamper-evident band relative to the annular depending skirt portion of the closure upon subjecting the closure to torquing forces during assembly to the container neck.
At least one and preferably a plurality of circumferentially spaced lugs optionally extend from the exterior wall of the container neck. These lugs facilitate breaking the frangible elements on the tamper-evident band of the closure by engaging the frangible elements as the closure is twisted off the container neck following initial snap-on application.
Additionally, the tamper indicating closure may include at least one arcuate projection extending around at least a portion of the tamper indicating ring arranged for registration with an annular locking flange on a container neck portion on which the closure is positioned. The closure is provided with at least one member attached to the tamper-indicating ring which cooperates with the arcuate projection to assist in breaking the tamper indicating ring during removal of the closure from the container neck. The arcuate projection is held in place by the locking flange on the container neck as the member is pulled away from the arcuate projection during twist-off removal of the closure body to cause the tamper indicating ring to break at a weakened area.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to improve sealing engagement between the closure and the mating portions of the interior wall of the container neck by including at least one annular sealing bead depending from the outer surface of the closure valve which are compressed against the inner surface of the container neck to form a seal as the closure is snapped onto the container neck.
It is a further object of the present invention to improve sealing engagement between the closure and the mating portions of the exterior wall of the container neck by including one or more annular sealing beads on the interior surface of the closure depending annular skirt.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a lug configuration for facilitating the breakage of frangible elements on the tamper evident band of the closure.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a threaded tamper-evident closure having frangible elements attached from and between a plurality of elevated areas extending upwardly from the tamper-evident band, for protecting the integrity of frangible elements during installation of the closure on a bottle neck.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a closure with at least one member attached to the tamper-indicating ring which cooperates with the arcuate projection to assist in breaking the tamper indicating ring during removal of the closure from the container neck.
The present invention provides a closure with a thread configuration adapted for snap-on or screw-on application to a container neck finish. Preferably the closure and neck finish contain eight or nine mating continuous or discontinuous threads for this purpose.
The present invention preferably provides at least one annular sealing bead depending from the outer surface of the closure inner annular sealing flange which are compressed against the inner surface of the container neck to form a seal as the closure is snapped onto the container neck. Optionally, sealing engagement between the closure and the mating portions of the exterior wall of the container neck may be further improved by including one or more annular sealing beads on the interior surface of the closure depending annular skirt.
The present invention also preferably provides plurality of elevated areas extend upwardly from the tamper-evident band in spaced relation to the bottom edge of the closure body to support the tamper evident band in resisting vertical movement imparted by insertion of the closure on the bottle neck, thereby protecting the frangible elements during assembly. The frangible elements connecting the tamper-evident band to the lower edge of the closure body may be configured to extend from these elevated areas as well as the non-elevated areas of the tamper-evident band to assist in preventing axial misalignment of the tamper-evident band relative to the annular depending skirt portion of the closure upon subjecting the closure to torquing forces during assembly to the container neck.
Additionally, the tamper indicating closure may include at least one arcuate projection extending around at least a portion of the tamper indicating ring arranged for registration with an annular locking flange on a container neck portion on which the closure is positioned. The closure is optionally provided with at least one member attached to the tamper-indicating ring which cooperates with the arcuate projection to assist in breaking the tamper indicating ring during removal of the closure from the container neck. The arcuate projection is held in place by the container neck as the member is pulled away from the arcuate projection during twist-off removal of the closure body to cause the tamper indicating ring to break at a weakened area.
At least one and preferably a plurality of circumferentially spaced lugs optionally extend from the exterior wall of the container neck to facilitate breaking the frangible elements on the tamper-evident band of the closure by engaging the frangible elements as the closure is twisted off the container neck following initial snap-on application.
Other advantages of the present invention will become apparent by a perusal of the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention taken in connection with the drawings.